1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. More specifically, the field relates to using a SOFC system using a liquid hydrocarbon for producing electricity, hydrogen and carbon dioxide simultaneously.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid petroleum fractions such as naphtha, kerosene and diesel are highly portable, widely available and can be stored at atmospheric conditions with little difficulty.
Global interest in the commercial use of non-gasoline and non-diesel powered vehicles is accelerating. Material and design research today focus on both hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) and electrically powered vehicles (EVs). A commonly asked question is how and where are these vehicles fueled? Currently, hydrogen gas transport is very expensive on a BTU basis. The electrical infrastructure and transmission lines of most countries will require significant expansion and upgrade to handle the electrical demand from mobile users.
Power generation and chemical processing facilities create three major products: the primary product (chemicals/electricity), steam/heat and carbon dioxide. Electricity/chemicals and steam/heat (generated as part of the process of heating and cooling electricity-producing processes) are useful and convertible into other forms for export, transmission or local usage. Carbon dioxide (and other noxious gases such as carbon monoxide) until recently was released into the atmosphere as a waste product. With more stringent greenhouse gas monitoring and reporting requirements as well as alternative uses such as chemical production and enhanced oil recovery (EOR), it is in the generation facility's interest to not only reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced but to capture as much as possible for use.
Purified carbon dioxide is operable to extract up to an additional 1.89 barrels of crude oil per ton injected into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation as part of an enhanced oil recovery operation.
A system that not only produces electricity and hydrogen for local use as a source of portable power for vehicles but also captures carbon dioxide for either sequestration or use in downstream or downhole processes is desirable.